Broken Pendellum
by megan.j.mcdaniel
Summary: My OC Miriam and how she overcomes her broken soul and troubled past.


Miriam was covered in blood. Saturated in the red, sticky stuff that tracked over the ground with each step up the stairs to the Patchwork Laboratory. She knew Stein wasn't expecting her until later, but she walked in anyways, the front door letting out a resounding squeak. Though none of the lights were on, she had been here enough times to make her way through the house without bumping into anything. But her minor aches did have her bracing a hand against the wall as she moved. The red trail of her hand streaks against the gray of the wall, following her as she made her way to the computer where Stein was sitting. He was engrossed in whatever he was typing, his one hand flying over the keys while he turned the screw in his head on and off with the other. It wasn't until she was putting her hands on his shoulders did he realize he had company. "Miriam? I wasn't expecting you until- Why are your hands wet?" He turns to look up at her, and his eyes go wide behind his glasses. "Just what did you get yourself into this time?" She isn't surprised his voice stays completely calm, it isn't the first time she's trekked red into his place. "Mission. Hunting a witch. Turned out to be a whole coven. I don't think much of this blood is mine, but I figured you'd like to make certain I don't come apart." She opens the bag at her side and takes out several glass jars, a witches soul in each one as she sets them on the floor next to the desk. She can't see the look on his face since his glasses are reflecting the light from the monitor, but Stein does turn the screw in his head a couple notches. "Seven souls. Impressive, now explain how you didn't get killed doing this job on your own. You seem to enjoy going on suicide missions just to come back here with blood all over you and your task handled single handed." She gives him one of her casual shrugs, "Spoilers, Doc. All you get regarding how I do missions is you teaching me karate and judo along with the Soul Menace, in return you get to keep me as your personal pin cushion for your scalpels. That was the deal, and it still stands." Stein sighs at this, "I'm aware, I get to dissect you as much as I want, until I apparently 'fix' you. But you won't tell me what it is that needs 'fixing' until I do so. You're a very curious kid, you know that right?" Miriam snorts at this, "Yes, I'm aware of that, you note that constantly. But whatever, semantics. Get your thread out, you'll need to stitch me closed before you cut me open." Stein chuckles at this, amusement on his face as he spins himself in his chair a few times before rolling away backwards towards the surgical table.

Miriam strips her clothes as she follows, the soaked material making a slapping noise as it hits the floor. Stein gets out his tools and places them on his work table next to him while he sits in his chair, noting with amusement, "Yet again, you can leave your underwear on you know. You don't have to strip bare for this." Miriam shrugs out of her ruined sports bra, the material coming away in the back from the large rip in the material. "Why bother, it's going in the trash anyways. It's not like either of us cares if I'm naked. You don't even care I'm a witch, something the rest of the school is constantly pointing out to me." Miriam threads her legs out of her panties with little effort, sitting on the surgical table with her back to Stein. She notes he placed a towel on the table for her to sit on, so she tells him, "Thanks, I'm guessing you'd rather not try sewing my ass back on if it freezes off." His amusement is clear as he snickers at this, "Might be an interesting challenge, but I'll pass today. The only reason the others have a problem with you being a witch is because you're still using your magic to do missions instead of taking a partner. My only problem is how you don't even try finding someone to team up with, if only for you to come back in manageable pieces for me to put back together." She growls at this, "I didn't need anyone tripping me up before I came to the school, I certainly don't need anyone doing so now! Why do you think I asked for you to be the one to teach me how to fight and use my Soul Wavelength abilities? All I need is to know how to make my enemy go down and not get back up, I don't want or need a partner to constantly babysit or butt heads with!" Stein sighs at this, "So you keep telling me. At least you are able to use what I taught you in spades. I'm more than aware you can use Soul Menace effortlessly by now to do all these dangerous missions you keep taking. Even if Lord Death is fine with you using magic to help the school and the others, he is still worried you haven't made any friends other than Scythe. Apparently he lumps me into that category also. Though Lord Death would not be pleased with you if he sees what a wreck you are right now." She gives him another careless shrug, and he tells her, "Don't do that, you're messing up my stitching. Sit still, your back is a mess." He laces the needle through her flesh, his hands working with practiced speed as he closes the gash running from Miriam's left shoulder all the way down to her tailbone. She doesn't twitch as the needle works over her skin, which gets Stein to ask her for another time, "Do you even feel this? I'd think your pain receptors weren't working with how you don't even bat an eye when I stitch you closed."

Miriam stares down at her toes. "Yes and no. I can feel the tugging on my skin, but it doesn't hurt very much right now. I'm mostly numb from the mission, add on the fact I've been up for two days straight with no sleep. Hell, I'm half convinced I come down here to let you mess with my insides so I can take a nap while you satisfy your fetish." Stein stills at this, "What? You consider this my fetish? Do you even know the meaning of the word?" Miriam laughs to note, "Well, how else am I supposed to take your inherent need to cut into things to see how they tick? It sure isn't a mild hobby, Doc." She tilts her head to the side to think, her words a little more serious as she tells him, "What would you call my blatant gluttony for punishment, both on missions and with your poking and prodding me? I need the outlet to counteract the harm I inflict on others, I don't really enjoy that whole Sway of Magic principle that dictates my abilities. It's why I figured you'd jump at my offer. What better way to serve the needs of a surgically inclined sadist than giving them a willing and tormented masochist to experiment on?" Stein goes stock still at this, his fingertips barely touching her back. "So that's what possessed you to come knocking at my door when you first joined the school. Highly unethical Miriam, as your teacher I shouldn't let you continue this abusive self indulgence." She laughs at this, "That's rich coming from you. I figured the last thing I'd ever get from you is a lesson on morality. Does this mean our deal is off now, or we gonna keep our regular dance schedule like always?" Stein sighs at this, twisting the bolt in his head a few times. "As long as you are willing to walk in that door, I see no reason to turn away a perfectly good subject for study. You are the only witch around that I'm able to dissect, willingly and at my leisure no less." She snickers as he finishes the stitches, "And you're the only one I trust to cut me up and fiddle with my insides to then put me back together the way I'm supposed to be. You might want to finish that, I'm thinking I want to fall over soon." Stein raises an eyebrow in question, then notes how pale she's gotten. He twists the bolt once. "Of course, you've probably lost a good volume of blood by now. Why didn't I set you up with an IV earlier? Where is my head lately? Lay down before you fall off the table, Miriam." She collapses onto her side gratefully at this, her hair flowing over the table to fall in curling waves over it's edge slightly. Miriam gives a slight shiver as the metalwork on the tables surface chills her exposed skin, her nipples hardening in response to the cold. She gives a groan to say, "Better, my back is so going to enjoy the cold metal of the table. The rest of me touching it sure isn't." But then she flinches slightly when she inhales. "OW! What the hell?!" Stein wheels himself around to face her front. "What is it? Did you- Oh, that's what." Miriam looks at him as Stein twists the bolt again, his frown evident as he looks her over. She asks him through slightly gritted teeth, "Wanna share with the rest of the class, Doc?" He reaches out and places his hand to her chest, his touch pressing over a forming bruise over her sternum in a probing manner. "Looks like someone broke you after all. Hmmm... Feels like you've got a bad sternal fracture. Turn over and lay flat, Miriam." She does so, the movement making her wince slightly. "Ow! This is new, haven't felt this kind of pain before. And breathing is getting rather uncomfortable. Seems my pain receptors do work. OW!"

Stein throws a surgical cloth over her front, then wheels himself over to grab an IV stand with a few drugs and some bags of blood. He wheels back over to her, being careful not to tip his chair and having something fall out of his arms to break over the floor. Miriam holds out her arm automatically, and he finds a vein to hook the needle into her hand for the IV and another into her arm for the blood bag. His frown is evident as he tells her, "Forget the dissection plan I had. I'll have to do it once you've properly recovered from surgery. I'll have to tell Lord Death about this, in fact I should do that now." Miriam huffs at this, but doesn't argue with Stein. "I'm gonna be in heaping tons of trouble, I can feel my skull getting caved in by his Noggin Chop already." Stein is already at his mirror to call Death, and the reflective surface shifts to his image. "What's shaking, Stein? Spirit said you were in the middle of something, so I'm surprised to hear from you." Stein wheels away from the mirror at this, and Death is able to see Miriam on the surgical table. His mood darkens at this, his eyes frowning at her, "And just what exactly did you do to yourself, young lady? I thought I gave you a simpler mission to take care of one lone witch? Surely a two star like yourself can handle that without getting yourself into this much trouble!" Miriam nods at this, "Apologies, sir. I went in to take care of one witch, and it was a coven with several witches present. I got all seven souls, but they in turn beat me pretty bloody and raw. I apologize for the inconvenience and for the trouble I seem to constantly lay at your feet. It isn't my intention to, honestly." Death shakes his head at this, sighing audibly as he lightly scolds her, "I'm sure you don't Miriam, but you and these stunts are getting rather tiring. Are you trying to get yourself killed, if so you're doing a bang up job. How bad is it Stein, and don't sugar coat it for me." Stein frowns at this, "Her back is sporting a new scar that runs from the tip of her shoulder all the way down past her hips, and her sternum is severely broken from what I can tell. I haven't gotten any farther than this, but I'm guessing she may have more injuries from whatever broke her front." Miriam grunts, "It was a piece of the wall one of the witches flung into my front. I didn't think much of it, since they were throwing knives and spells at me along with glass shrapnel and a few flaming torches. I don't like admitting how bad it got, but if the ceiling hadn't caved in on a few of them like I managed, I'd never have made it back." Death goes wide eyed at this, as does Stein. She give a groan as Stein wheels himself next to her, Death sagging his head as he exclaims, "I should never have let you get away with not being partnered for so long. We have to remedy that somehow, even if it means having to assign a teamed group like Maka and Soul to join you when you take on a mission. Speaking of which, you're hence forth grounded from missions and training with Stein until further notice." Miriam nods her head at this, her vision going a little blurry as tears well in the corners of her eyes, "Yes. Understood sir. I really am sorry for this. I will accept any punishment you have for me after Stein gives the all clear that I won't keel over dead."

Stein reaches down to get the air tank hooked up for Miriam, lacing the breathing mask over her face as he asks Death, "You want to have Spirit come get those souls she got?" Death nods at this idea to say, "Of course, but I'd like to keep this connection open, if it's all the same to you. Did she really get all seven witches?" Stein nods in confirmation. "Yes. All of the souls are on the floor next to my desk at the moment." Stein hooks up a monitor to read out vital signs and sticks the ends to her chest under the cloth. He notes, "That bruise is getting darker by the minute, Mirium. This is not going to be pleasant to fix. I'm sure you have to be hurting by now." Miriam nods, reaching up to lift the breathing mask for a moment. "Yeah, it already aches like crazy, Doc. But you might as well just use the local, don't bother putting me under completely." Stein goes wide eyed with Death exclaiming, "Absolutely not! You may have a high pain tolerance, but I'm not going to condone that kind of torture!" Miriam pouts at this to state, "Aww, shoot! Fine! At least set up a video recorder for me to watch later or something!" Stein shakes his head as he laughs, his entire frame vibrating in mirth. "You are, without a doubt, a genuine curiosity. I'll want to keep a copy of this for later, anyways. So you don't have to worry about missing out on anything." Death shakes his head at them. "Peas in a pod, the both of you are a might peculiar in the same ways. I have to agree with Spirit on his assessment on the other thing as well." Miriam closes an eye at this, "Ah yeah, that thing. Something I'll have to look forward to hanging him for later." Stein hooks another drug into the IV on the stand, his question evident as Miriam shakes her head. "I'm not going to even acknowledge what he said by answering you at the moment. Just be sure you do your best to 'fix' me this time around." Stein sighs at this, "Right, and not any hints for me to go off of." But Miriam smiles as she starts to drift off. "If you're that off pace, you'll never get it. And for the record, what I just said was a hint, Doc." Stein twists his bolt at this bit, turning the monitor on as Miriam closes her eyes and drifts off to unconsciousness. "Huh, that's a first. She never gives me any hints about that." Death frowns at this, his concern evident as Stein sets up a few video recorders to point down to tape the surgery. "What would that be, did you two make some kind of agreement about her letting you train her?" Stein sighs at this, "No. It's the other thing I told you about, the one she doesn't know that you know about." Death glowers at this, "Yes. That. Remind me again why I let you two play at her being a lab rat for you again?" Stein goes to the sink to lace a surgical mask over his face and starts to sterilize his hands and arms for surgery. "Because it was clear she'd be inflicting harm on herself if I didn't give her a safer outlet for the three of us. How else is she going to combat the Sway of Magic all the time if she doesn't balance the destruction she inflicts on others."

Death growls again but with more vehemence. "Right. Right. I'm not surprised she'd become a masochist. Even if I hate the fact that countering harm to others by harming herself actually seems to be working for her. But it makes a significant difference that it's you doing the channeling of that balance. Though I worried your Madness might crop up while the two of you were alone without Marie there to lessen it's hold during the incident with Asura. Has Miriam admitted to what magic she uses to you yet?" Stein finishes scrubbing and sterilizing his hands to turn and grab his surgical gloves, "No. But I'm thinking it's more than just one type. Marie caught her doing something or other with liquids and a few inanimate objects, but Miriam won't say anything about it. All I get is that 'spoilers to the plot of the story' line she always feeds me." Stein turns to wheel back to the surgical table, standing up to grab one of his scalpels. He looks at it for a moment, then turns to Death to tell him, "This isn't going to be pleasant, are you sure you want to watch?" Death nods at this, "Yes! I feel partially responsible for Miriam getting hurt so badly. I need to see how close she came, if only so I never make that mistake again in the future." Stein nods in consent, looking to the monitor as he rubs the surgical alchohal over her front. "She'll be completely under in a moment, but I don't like that her heart rate is elevated like this." He waits for a few more moments, watching the monitor closely as the numbers go down on the screen. Then he nods and carefully, almost lovingly, makes the first incision. His hands move with practiced care, the red line tracing down her front as if in a gentle caress of the blade. The smile that forms on his lips is warm, unlike the sadistic grin he usually wears when cutting into things or contemplating doing so. Death notes the look in his eyes and his own go wider, watching as Stein opens Miriam's chest. But what Stein reveals has him scowling in obvious displeasure. "That is bad. I was thinking her sternum only cracked." Death frowns to ask, "And in actuality?" Stein's growl is clearly audible. "It's completely broken, right down the center and coming away from each side." Death gives a hard jerk at this bit of unpleasant news, while Stein reaches in to remove a small section of her sternum. Then Stein ends up noting something significant besides the break, flinching at what he sees. "No! I didn't want to find this!" Stein opens her chest further to look at the condition of her heart, his fury evident at what he finds. "DAMN! She lied to us! This wasn't from a piece of debris, it can't have been!" Death leans closer to the mirror. "What is it Stein, tell me! Right now, what is it?!" Stein looks up to meet Deaths gaze, his own eyes smoldering in obvious fury. "Her heart is bruised over with a fist sized mark! I doubt this was caused by anything other than a hard punch to her chest! And it's too small to be that of an adult!" Death goes stock still, his voice lowering as he exclaims, "You mean- Are you saying that- Do you honestly believe it was one of the students?!"

Stein nods at this, his entire body shaking at his fury. "It could only be a small few of them, but I know Black Star and Soul would never try to hurt her this badly when they pick a fight with her. I know of only one student who would openly do this and whom she would lie for to cover it up. It had to be him, Dreyse is the only one who would do this to her!" Death notes, "True. Dreyse has show open hostility to Miriam ever since she came to the school. But to go this far-" Stein fumes at an elevated shout, "He beats her up constantly! There isn't a time I haven't seen her with a new injury or a ripped article of clothing from the times he's struck her down! And every time he fights with her, she never hits him back! She either blocks his strikes or openly lets him whale on her! She made me swear never to tell, but this could have killed her with the strength Dreyse can muster behind his blows! I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if that was the intention!" The look that crosses Death's face is borderline murderous, his anger apparent as his voice drops several octaves and seethes, "I warned him not to harm her for any reason! I knew his dislike of Miriam would be apparent, since his parents were killed by witches right in front of him! But if what you're saying is true, I will have his hide for this! There's no excuse for it, for murdering one who had no part in such workings! Or for harming a fellow student so, I'll wring his neck myself! SCYTHE! GET IN HERE RIGHT NOW! WE HAVE PUNISHMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT OUT! Stein, you take care of Miriam! I will deal with whomever did this, and if it was Dreyse like you suspect, he will feel every ounce of my wrath!" Stein nods at this, then the reflective surface of the mirror returns to normal. Stein looks at his image in the mirror, noting the evident fury in his usually calm eyes. Slowly, he takes a deep breath and holds it in, letting it out just as slowly to then take another. Miriam's voice plays through his head as he breathes, her voice the same neutral yet mocking tone as always. (Trust me on this fact when I tell you this. Giving yourself a coniption fit will only help the problem, Doc.) He looks down at Miriam's face, her hair flowing in fierce curling waves away from her head as her breath gently kisses the breathing mask. Then his gaze drifts to the heart inside his patient, the bruise apparent in between the broken sections of her sternum. Ever so gently, he reaches inside her, placing his hand over her fluttering heart. His fingers carress the tissue where the bruising is apparent, then he laces his hand under her heart as if to lift it's pace from her chest. Her heart keeps its steady yet feathered dance in the palm of his hand as he watches, his question whispering over his lips as he asks in sorrow, "Why Miriam? Why would you lie to me about getting this badly injured? You'd have known his intentions if Dreyse really did hurt you in this way. Did he do this to you on your way here after the mission? I know it couldn't have been during the mission like you said, there's just too much damage for you to have walked away from such a fight. So why would you lie to me? Why would you hide such when it would have meant this heart I'm holding would have ceased to beat? I thought you trusted me with everything, your body as well as your feelings. So why would you try to hide such an injury to your heart as well as your spirit from me? I just don't understand, is there more to this brokenness you want me to 'fix'? Is it even a physical thing that I can 'fix' for you? Or is it something entirely different, is it in fact your soul that needs mending? Please Miriam, won't you let me into this heart far enough to tell me? I'd give anything if it meant your heart would never be broken or stilled in it's giving of life to you and your soul. You are so much more than just a scientific curiosity, more than just my favorite student and sparring partner. You are special Miriam, in you I have a sister as much as a cherished friend. It's because of you that I have found the sensations of love and affection warming my own heart. You did that Miriam, you gave me what I never could fathom or comprehend. As such, I don't want to let you keep doing this to yourself. Not when such pain and misery is not needed. Not if there is a better method for you... for us... to take."

Stein bites down hard on his lower lip to contain his emotions, the surgical mask gaining a new red stain in the process. His fingers rub over the pumping jewel nestled in his hand, wishing with all he has that he knew how to stitch this particular problem back together to make Miriam whole. But then he shakes his head to clear it, his mind focusing on the problem at hand as he says, "No. That can wait. This surgery comes first. But I swear to you Miriam, I'll fix everything like we agreed to when we first met. I promise you, I won't rest until I find a way to make you whole. Now then, where did I put the bolts for this? Here's the wire and the surgical mesh, but where did- Oh, here they are. I'll have to insert tubing just in case, I think I put that here. Yes, here it is. I should probably add a pacemaker to be safe, since this bruising may affect your heart a lot more than I'd like to admit. This is turning into more than just a simple procedure, you are going to be so angry at all this extra fuss when you come around. But I'm hoping you don't hold it against me for too long." Stein rubs his fingers over Miriam's heart tissue one last time before continuing the surgery, working with quickness but also with great care. He fits in the pacemaker with little difficulty, then he works in the plastic made mesh cover to protect her heart before starting to work on her sternum. The bolts with small holes in the center go in fairly easily, then Stein laces the wiring into them to tie her sternum closed. He makes certain the mesh is fitted in place perfectly, giving a nod when he's satisfied with the result. Stein stitches the thread over her chest with painstaking detail, doing his best to make it look perfect in his mind. Then he ties the last stitch in place with a flourish, his grin evident as he says, "There now, all done. Now to get you over to the other room to recover. It's a good thing I had that spare hospital bed delivered last week. Although I did put it in my room to store it temporarily. Oh well, it's not like I was going to let you stay in the dormitory anyways. Marie may be a bit upset, but she did want to spend more time with you. And this way, I can do some of those other experiments like I wanted without constantly dragging you back here." Stein cleans and bandages Miriam's front, his mood somewhat improved at the idea of keeping her at his house for the remainder of her recovery. He walks into his room to push the hospital bed to the surgical table, transferring the monitor and the newly switched air tank as well as the IV bags to the bed. Miriam is soon to follow, his arms carefully bringing her from the cold hard table to the softer mattress. Stein leans down and grabs a gown for her, unsnapping the shoulder of it to then lace it under her frame. Soon enough, the gown is tied and the buttons on the shoulder done up again. He tucks a few blankets over her to then wheel her into his bedroom. He only leaves her alone for a few moments to get himself and his tools cleaned as well as turn off the video recorders. When he returns, it is with a small plug in cooler with blood and medicine to plug into the far wall. He brings out another bag of blood and changes the old one out, doing the same to the IV and the pain medicines before he flops onto his own bed in exhaustion. He gives a long sigh as his body relaxes into the bed, but then his eyes open to look at Miriam. His hand comes up to twist the bolt a few clicks, concern evident in his eyes. Yet soon enough, he too is closing his eyes to sleep the sleep of the comatose.

Dreyse is fuming at the fact that he was brought before Death, his temper apparent as he struggles against the grip Spirit has on him. "GET OFF ME! WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?! LET ME GO ALREADY!" Spirit shoves him forward, his own temper barely contained as Death tells Dreyse, "That is quite enough, young man. You throwing a hissy fit like a five year old girl is not going to help you any." Dreyse snorts at this, his tone leaving much to be desired. "I was hauled away in front of my gang without any explanation! Just what the hell is going on?!" Death glares at him, his own tone frosting over. "I have been told you have much to answer for, Dreyse. You will sit still and stay quiet, or else I will have Spirit gag you!" Dreyse growls, but goes silent as Death continues, "It has been brought to my attention that you have been bullying many of the students. I didn't think much of it since the ones that made these claims are those that like to get into trouble themselves. But in hindsight, I should have brought you here sooner. Now one of the students is in critical condition and had to have emergency surgery after being viciously assaulted. Such harm will not be tolerated, and the blame has been solely laid on your shoulders!" Dreyse flinches at this, actual worry crossing his features as Spirit takes over. He glares at Dreyse as he fumes, "You were warned, on multiple, occasions not to harm a single hair on her head! Yet, you have dared to use your strength on Miriam, to the point where she would have been killed! You are in deep trouble, Dreyse!" Dreyse jerks at this, but his anger outweighs his better judgement, "You don't know a damned thing! Not a damned thing at all! I have every right to-" Spirit grabs Dreyse by the throat at this, lifting him off the floor as he screams at the boy, "DON'T YOU DARE CLAIM TO HAVE A RIGHT TO KILL ANOTHER STUDENT! NOT IN MY PRESENCE! I SHOULD THROTTLE YOU FOR EVEN LAYING A FINGER ON A GIRL, YOU DISGUST ME WITH SUCH ACTIONS!" Death tells Spirit, "Set him down, he has yet to explain himself." Spirit seethes and drops Dreyse in a heap, his blades coming out as he takes a few steps away as his silently fumes. Dreyse kricks his neck a bit, his hands turning into maces as he threatens Spirit, "Any time old man, I'd enjoy knocking your skull into the floor!" But Death towers over Dreyse and his tone is ice cold, "Enough! You will tell me exactly what you did and why you would dare go against my orders! Explain yourself, Dreyse, RIGHT NOW!" Dreyse flinches at the sheer volume of anger Death points in his direction, but he glares back all the same. His hate is apparent as he tells Death, "She is a to blame for what I lost that night ten years ago! I'd stake all the souls I've collected, she was there the night my parents were killed!" Both Death and Spirit go stock still at this, stunned into immobility as Dreyse continues, "I'll never forget that night, it's image is there every time I shut my eyes! I know she was there, with the three witches that killed my mother and father. Those witches kept them and myself immobile with some kind of magic chain, but it was Miriam and her magic that killed them!" Death goes wide eyed at this, Spirit saying, "That can't be possible Dreyse, she was only nine when that happened. There is no possible way a young witch could-"

But Dreyse shakes his head vehemently, tears of hot anger bruning down his face as he shouts, "IT! WAS! HER! I'd know her face anywhere, the eyes she has are just as damning! I've stared into them every time that nightmare plays in my head, one ice cold blue and the other glowing green! She was their tool to use for their pleasure, but it was her none the less! I can prove it, I even know exactly what magic she uses!" Death frowns at this, "Continue then, Dreyse." Dreyse starts to shake at this, his entire frame trembling as he hisses, "The witch that killed my parents used blood magic to run them through like well sharpened blades. Their own blood was used as a weapon inside their own bodies to cut them again and again as they screamed. Then she- she-" He chokes on the words as he gets out, "Their insides exploded in their chests, the entire room going red in the process!" Dreyse collapses to the floor, his hands covering his head as he curls himself into a ball as Death and Spirit take in what he said with growing horror. Dreyse starts to sob as he remembers, his voice uneven and breaking, "She did it, she ripped them apart from the inside, just like those three filthy hags told her too. The three of them were cackling at the display, but Miriam didn't even twitch. She just looked down at me and- and- and sliced into me with the fresh blood on the floor. The blood of my parents was used to cut into me, over and over as I screamed! But for some reason, they left me alive for someone to find me. But it was her, I KNOW IT WAS HER!" Death shivers as Spirit turns around to lean over, shaking as Death asks Dreyse, "You have no other proof it was Miriam?" Dreyse looks back up and stares right into Death's eyes, "I have better! I have her full confession!" Spirit whirls around as Death goes, "She... what? She admitted to... she told you..." Dreyse nods at this, "I confronted her the night she showed up at the school. She confessed to all of it! She even had one of the earrings that my mother was wearing that night to prove it! MIRIAM KILLED MY PARENTS! SHE SLAUGHTERED THEM, JUST LIKE THE FILTHY WITCH SHE REALLY IS!" Dreyse touches a hand to the earring he always wears, "I have the proof right here, and I'm damn sure she has the other one still! I've been waiting for a chance to end her once she showed her true colors, yet you all are completely blinded by her carny act! I've waited long enough, my parents have waited long enough!" Dreyse stomps up to Death, shrieking at him, "I DEMAND SHE PAYS FOR WHAT SHE DID! IF YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF JUSTICE, YOU'LL HAVE HER EXECUTED! I WANT HER DEAD, SHE'S A MURDERER AND A MONSTER! SHE DESERVES TO DIE!" Death doesn't move as Dreyse seethes, panting as his eyes stream tears while looking up at Death in fury. Death stares back down at the seething teenager, then he uses his Noggin Chop to knock Dreyse out. Dreyse falls to the floor in a heap as Death tells Spirit, "Take Dreyse back to his dorm to have Sid and Mira keep him there. Then go and see Stein to tell him how things have gotten... messy."

Stein hears a knocking on the bedroom door, grumbling at whoever is there, "Hang on a minute." He looks first at Miriam and her sleeping face, then to the monitor to make sure she's still asleep. He gives a grumble as he gets up, turning the bolt in his head as he opens the door. Spirit is standing there, his hands in his pockets and a very deep frown on his face. Stein notes the stiffness in his shoulders. "I take it things are worse than we figured?" Spirit nods at this, then looks at Stein, "Considerably, how is she?" Stein waves him in, Spirit walking in to turn to where Miriam lays in the hospital bed with Stein shutting the door to the room. "Not as well as I'd like, the bruising on her heart is significant. I had to insert tubing to drain the excess blood from her surgery so it doesn't interfere with her heart function, and I had to put in a pacemaker on top of it. Her entire sternum is snapped in half, Spirit! She shouldn't have even made it to my front door with the kind of punishment Dreyse dealt to her! She still might not be in the clear, there's just so much bruising..." Spirit walks over and leans over Miriam at this, noting how pale she is and how little she's breathing. Spirit reaches down and takes her hand to tell Stein, "We've got a major problem, Franken. Dreyse claims Miriam is the one that killed his parents." Stein goes stock still, his eyes going wide as he whispers, "Ridiculous... how could a nine year old have done that... I saw the photos, I read that whole report on what happened. There is no way it was her." Spirit shakes his head. "Dreyse said there were three witches with her, directing her to use her magic, to use blood magic no less!" Stein jerks at this, but Spirit continues, "That isn't all Franken. Dreyse said he confronted her when she came to the school. She confessed to doing it, she even had one of the earrings Louise was wearing that night." Stein clenches his fists at this, his anger overwhelming his senses. "Enough, Spirit! I won't hear any more! It's absolutely ludicrous! You expect me to believe that Miriam is a heartless killer?! A hemomancer that brutally slaughtered two people and butchered a boy her own age when she was only nine years old?! Only to confess to the last one left of that family, and still have proof of doing such on her still?! What kind of a brainless ass do you take me for?!"

Before Spirit can answer, Miriam answers in a soft, "Not much of one, Doc..." Stein comes to stand at the bed as Miriam opens her eys slightly, the monitor chiming out her vitals as her heart rate rises. Stein looks at the monitor in concern, then back down to her as Spirit tells her, "Miriam, I didn't want to ask you about this until later. So don't worry about it right now, you just-" But she shakes her head, tears falling form the corners of her eyes. "No Spirit. This has gone on for long enough. It's time I told the truth, the whole truth, and let the blood run where it shall." She squeezes the hand Spirit has in hers as she tells them both, "My real name is Najika Hayashida. The ones who raised me and taught me the ways of magic called themselves my aunts, but they used me more like a tool for their amusement. Their magics were potent when combined, and their specialty was puppeteering and enslavement. It is why I can't really feel pain very much, I'm used to always feeling pain from them controlling me all the time. You'd probably know them better as the Morrigan Sisters, or the crow triplets." Both Stein and Spirit go wide eyed in shock, the names registering as Miriam continues. "Ever since I was five, I've been able to use and control my magic. At first it was just water, making it swirl in a glass or turning it to ice in the sink. But then they realized I could do the same with blood, and they decided to use me as a weapon of slaughter. As my eldest aunt said to me, 'Such power is rare, the ability to use what runs through a body to run it through in turn. It must not be wasted.' They had me kill small things at first, squirrels and birds they could easily catch. But then after a year of them forcing me to practice killing thing whenever they desired, I could use my magic to kill a person with only moderate side effects." Miriam starts shaking as Spirit clenches her hand. "I never wanted to do it! I tried so hard to fight against them, but it never worked! I even tried killing myself so they couldn't use my magic anymore! But they always won in the end! I was a literal prisoner in my own body, and my mind was no better off! I spent years feeling nothing, so numb I didn't even know if I was still alive! But I never wanted to hurt anyone!" She begs them both as the monitor registers how hard her heart is racing, "Please don't punish Dreyse! I've already hurt him enough as it is when his parents were butchered at my hands, his vengence against me is all I was able to salvage from that night! I wanted to make sure someone was able to have enough hate in them to make me pay! The only reason he lived to see the dawn is because I tricked them into thinking I'd killed him! I gave my aunts the impression that the blood I used to slice him up with was his own! But my aunts are beyond his vengeance, I took care of them myself later that night! They'd thought it would be fine to leave me unchained when we got home, since using my magic like that is so taxing! But it only takes a little nick to end someone! Those three just loved big and showy spells to make everything grand, they never expected their own ends to be so mundane as a small leak in the aorta! I killed them to ensure no more victims for their amusements, which means I am the only vengence Dreyse has left! Please, don't take that away from him! PLEASE!"

Stein notes the alarm going off on the monitor, pushing Spirit out of the way as Miriam starts coughing. "Enough. Stop, Miriam. Calm down, take deep breaths or you'll strain your heart. No one's going to hurt Dreyse, just please calm down before I have to sedate you." Stein moves the bed to prop her up more and her coughing lessens. Spirit watches as Stein tends to her, the alarm on the monitor still sounding as Stein injects a syringe into the IV for her. Miriam sobs and shivers while the drugs take effect, her voice breaking as she laments, "No... Please stop, Doc... Don't waste any more of... the drugs or the oxygen in the tanks... Enough already... I'm not worth fixing... Just forget I ever asked... It's pointless to keep this up... Mama said a pendellum... that is off by even half a tick... does no one any good... Just let Dreyse kill me... give him that closure... It's why I kept the earrings... So no one can dispute his claim... at having me pay..." Spirit stills at this. "Wait a minute. You have the other earring, Miriam?" She nods to tell them, "At all times... I hid it where... only Stein might... have found it... With my blood magic..." She takes what energy she has left and casts, her green eye starting to glow as she chants. "Drip drip... tick tick... Blood Command..." Her mouth starts leaking red as she takes the breathing mask off, Stein and Spirit watching a small red soaked bag come up out of her mouth and into her waiting hand. She retches afterwards and opens the bag with one hand, her entire frame shaking as the other earring falls out of the bag wrapped in plastic. She sags against the bed afterwards, her breaths ragged and full of defeat as she chokes out, "Uhnn... Ow... That never... gets easier... to... do..." Her eyes close and her head falls forward as the monitor screams, Stein pressing the breathing mask to her face as he tells her, "Take a breath Miriam. Come on already. Miriam...? Miriam?!" But her chest doesn't expand, the monitor numbers plumeting as Stein shouts out, "No! NO! MIRIAM! DAMN IT! BREATHE ALREADY! BEFORE-" Both Stein and Spirit go wide eyed as the monitor flat lines, Stein putting the bed back down as he shouts, "SHIT! MIRIAM! MOVE SPIRIT! GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Spirit snatches the earring off the bed before Stein wheels Miriam back out into the main room, his eyes panicked as he brings the bed around. Her eyes begin leaking blood along with her nose, Stein grabbing the difibrillator in the corner as Spirit comes into the room. Stein rips the hospital gown open, the bandages on her front soon to follow as the difibrillator whines. He places the paddles over her front and shocks her, looking to the monitor as the lines move a few times before flat lining again. Stein growls and charges the difibrillator a second time, Spirit leaning against the wall as he watches to choke out in horror, "No... this can't be happening..." Stein shocks her heart again, the monitor lacing a few more lines before going flat and keening in resolution. Stein charges the difibrillator a third time, then a fourth and a fifth as the monitor laces the failed attempts to bring her heart into a beating rhythmn. Stein charges the paddles again, his voice frantic as he shouts at her lifeless body, "For pities sake, Miriam! Don't make me cut you open again for me to massage your heart into working for me! I don't want to do something so invasive, but you know damn well I'll do it! You hear me, Miriam?! I'll pump your heart in my hands all night if I have to! Now get your skinny ass back here!" He shocks her one more time, and the monitor at last laces strong lines over the screen as Miriam takes a breath soon afterwards.

Stein drops the difibrillator as he puts a shaking hand to her neck, his fingers pressed hard in her pulse as he watches the screen with avid attention. Spirit stops holding his breath as Stein grabs the stethescope off the surgical table and puts it on, placing the hearing end to her chest to triple check that her heart is working properly. Her heartbeat kisses his fingers as he moves the stethescope over each auscilation point, his death grip on the handle of the bed with his free hand lessening. Never before has Stein been so relieved, the swishing of Miriam's blood flowing with each contracted pump as the valves work in time to the pace a welcome sound to hear. After listening for a few minutes to count out an accurate heart rate, Stein gives a relieved sigh to take the stethescope off. "No indication of damage to her heart tissue, and the pacemaker seems to be working now." Spirit gets up off the floor as Stein starts shaking vehemently, reaching his free hand out to say, "Hey... Stein...? Franken...? Are you-" Stein whirls around to face Spirit, his shout full of anger as he snarls, "WHAT DO YOU THINK, SPIRIT?! DO I LOOK LIKE ANY SEMBLACE OF OKAY TO YOU?! DOES MIRIAM LOOK ALL RIGHT FOR THAT MATTER?! DON'T ASK SUCH STUPID QUESTIONS! I SHOULD LAY YOU OUT ON MY TABLE AND RIP YOU APART UNTIL THERE'S NOTHING LEFT! I DON'T CARE WHAT DREYSE OR YOU OR EVEN DEATH HAVE TO SAY ABOUT MIRIAM! SHE'S GONE THROUGH ENOUGH AND I'LL NOT HAVE ANY OF YOU INFLICT EVEN MORE HARM ON HER! IF DEATH WANTS TO PUNISH HER FOR ANY REASON, HE CAN COME DOWN HERE AND GET HER HIMSELF! NOW GET OUT OF MY HOUSE THIS INSTANT!" Spirit backs up as Stein charges at him, grabbing Spirit by the front of his coat to shove him up the stairs and out the front door. Stein slams the door shut with a loud bang, locking it to stomp back down the stairs as the adrenaline rushes through his system. It is then Stein notes that his mirror is working, Death looking through it to ask, "Stein, did Spirit-" But Stein grabs the mirror to openly fume at Death himself. "How dare you two even think of putting her through that! After all that she's gone through and suffered! If I dare lay eyes on Dreyse ever again, I'll kill him myself! As for you and Spirit, I don't want to hear from either of you for the forseeable future! I don't care what half assed reasons you have to blame Miriam for anything! If I see any of you come anywhere near her, I'll put you six feet under!" Before Death can say anything, Stein throws the mirror to the floor, crushing the remnants of it under his foot. His entire body trembles in his fury, every nerve twitching to cut into Dreyse for harming Miriam. But then Stein hears the front door unlock, whirling around to see Marie walk hesitantly down the stairs, a bag of groceries in her hand as she sets it down on the floor.

Marie looks at him and stops, the frown on her face reaching her eyes as she tells him, "I'm home, Franken. But I'm guessing things have gotten very out of hand since I left this morning." Stein clenches his fists at this to state, "Marie... Yes. Things have gotten completely out of hand!" Marie looks to where Miriam lays in the hospital bed, and she cries out, "Miriam! Oh Franken, what happened?!" Marie runs over to the bed, taking the girls limp and cold hand in her own. Stein comes up to join her and cover Miriam's exposed front with the blanket as he explains in full detail. Marie listens with growing sorrow, tears of sympathy lacing down her pretty face as Stein tells her all that happened, from Miriam coming to the Lab down to him throwing the mirror to the floor and stomping on it. Marie places a hand on Miriam's face, brushing away some of the untamed curls as Stein tells her, "I don't care what Dreyse or anyone else says. She is just as much a victim as Dreyse, if not more so. The Morrigan Sisters were known to be the most cruel and evil bunch of witches around before they mysteriously dropped off the map. I won't let anyone harm Miriam for what she could not control or change while under the enslavement of such monsters." Marie nods at this, her own anger coming to the fore. "I agree with you, Franken. But from what you've said, she thinks she does deserve punishment for what harm she was forced to do. Why else would Miriam protect Dreyse like this for so long, why else would she willingly give over the earrings as evidence? The fact that she had them shows she regretted the act and wanted to make amends. Which she'd know means her own death." Stein flinches at this to exclaim, "Over my own dead corpse! I will NOT allow it! I've spent ten years with her in this Lab or outside in the yard, getting her to open up and move forward! I won't let all she's accomplished since go to waste by letting her throw her life away!" Marie looks over at him as he tells her, "Miriam was once exactly like Crona. She spoke only when it was needed, and there was no emotion in her tone to be found. Her eyes held no life in them, not a trace of warmth and would stay mostly unfocused as she'd listen to what was said to her by others. She was no better than a wind up doll, ticking along without any sense of self to be seen." Stein leans down to place a hand to her head as he tells Marie, "At first she was simply a mild curiosity to me, but all that's changed now. Especially since you came to live with me Marie, I find I can understand things a lot more clearly." Marie looks at him to ask, "What do you understand, Franken?" He looks into her eyes to smile at her. "Since you helped Crona save me from my Madness, I now understand what it means to love. To want to give your attentions and focus to another over yourself. I've always been protective of my students and my peers, but you and Miriam have made me feel a true desire to protect those I have in my life."

Stein takes Marie's hand in his, her smile spreading over her face as he tells her, "I know now what it means to have love and give love back, all thanks to the two of you putting up with me. Miriam may have brought the first bits of sensation to my heart and soul, but you brought clarity to the sensation she had already instilled in me. I won't let her be repaid for such a feat by throwing her own heart and soul to the wolves. I made her a promise the night she came knocking on my door ten years ago. I intend to keep it, no matter what I have to do in order to do such. So then Marie, you willing to help me on this crazy notion?" Marie nods at this, her hand squeezing his as she says, "Yes! Where do we start?"Stein gives her a warm smile, looking down to Miriam to say, "Well, I'm thinking we should start off with using your Healing Wavelength on her heart to get rid of the bruising." Marie nods at this, her hand already glowing as she places it over Miriam's sternum. The golden glow shines brighter as Marie uses her wavelength on Miriam, Stein looking to the monitor as the numbers slowly improve. Miriam gets a little of her color back as Marie heals her, the chill of her skin fading slightly as she starts taking fuller breaths of air. Stein reaches down to take her wrist, her pulse more noticeable as he notes, "Still on the slow side, but better than before. I was starting to think the worst." Marie nods to take her hand away, walking over to the supply closet to get a new hospital gown for Miriam. "Good, though you look a bit pale yourself, Franken. Why don't you go and lay down for a bit. I can take it from here." Stein gives a sigh at this. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I was only out for two hours after the surgery. Remind me to upload the video footage for later, would you Marie?" She nods at this, watching Stein go into the bedroom to sit and fall over on his bed. "Shouldn't you close the door, Franken?" He shakes his head and says, "No. I'd rather leave it open. I don't want Miriam to wake up in the other room and not be able to know I'm still here." Marie gives him a knowing look at this. "Of course, it has nothing to do with you wanting to keep her in sight for your own peace of mind. Why, that would just be silly." Stein chuckles at this, but doesn't deny it as he closes his eyes. Marie takes the blanket off of Miriam to give her a sponge bath and bandage her front. She then gets the new gown on her, throwing away the old one and disposing of the old bandage laying on the floor. She puts the groceries away that she left by the door, noting that she'll have to get more if Miriam stays for an extended period. But Marie smiles at this, enjoying the idea of getting to know Miriam better and having another girl in the house. She grabs Stein's chair he uses to wheel himself around, bringing it and a book over to sit next to Miriam. She opens the book with one hand to read while taking her other hand to place it on Miriam's, settling in for her watch.

***** cut of point of part 1 *****

Spirit was smoking with his head in his hands when Maka and Soul walked up with Crona, Soul calling out to him, "Hey, what's got you so down?" Spirit doesn't even look up when his daughter follows the question with one of her own, "Yeah, dad? Why are you out here like there was a funeral?" He flinches so badly the cigarette almost comes out of his mouth. "There almost was one, Maka. Dreyse tried to kill Miriam." All three of them go ram rod straight as Crona cries out, "Wha- What?! Are you sure about that, Mr. Spirit?!" Spirit nods at this, Maka running around to face him. Her eyes are full of concern as she asks him, "Is she gonna be okay? Tell me what happened dad, all of it." He sighs at this to tell her, "Maka. I'm sorry honey. But I really shouldn't-" She goes wide eyed as he tries to walk around her. "Wait, dad? DAD?! TELL ME! I need to know! She gave me a letter to give to Lord Death if anything was to happen to her!" Spirit stops to look at her again. "What? She gave you a letter?" Maka nods and tells him, "I have it in my pocket right now, I was supposed to have her and Crona join us for practice of our Soul Wavelength tonight. Since she's loads better at it and won't try to rip us to pieces like Professor Stein might. Please, tell me what happened. I think of her as a peer and a friend. Please, dad?" He sees the tears in her eyes, and he puts his hands on her shoulder as he kneels down to come to eye level with his beloved daughter. "All right then, but it's really bad honey. Dreyse claimed she was the witch that killed his parents. This was further supported by the fact she confessed to him, she even gave him one of the earrings his mother Louise was wearing that night. I went to Stein's after we got Dreyse to his dormitory, if only to tell Franken what was going on. She's- Miriam is half dead Maka, her entire sternum is broken and her heart is so bruised it may kill her sooner than Dreyse can escape to finish the job." Maka flinches as Soul and Crona go wide eyed as Spirit gives them a moment before continuing. "I wasn't going to push her after Stein showed me how bad she is, but she woke up. She told us her real name, and that her aunts were the ones who trained her in blood magic no less. Who were none other than the fabled Morrigan Sisters." Crona trembles at this to squeak, "THEM?! But- but- but they- they- they were the most vile of witches to be known! Even my mother kept clear of them! They- they- they-!" Crona claps his hands to his mouth as Soul says, "Shee! No wonder Miriam is so tough! Those three were pure evil from what I know about them." Maka grabs her father's arms as he squeezes her shoulders, her frame slightly shaking as Spirit finishes."She confessed to the deed, all of it, in front of us both. Stein and I heard the tale in full, Miriam was their weapon to use for slaughter and amusement, but she intentionally spared Dreyse to then finish her aunts later that night. It's why she has let Dreyse hurt her all this time without lifting a finger against him, she feels she's deserving of his vengence. She even gave me the other earring as proof, and she demanded we let Dreyse kill her, before her air cut out. She nearly died giving me the earring Maka. If Stein hadn't resuscitated her she would have, and she expects us to hand her over to Dreyse as her punishment." Maka goes wide eyed as she shakes her head. "No! We can't! Papa, please! Don't tell me-" She grips his arms tight as she openly cries. "We can't do that to her! Miriam doesn't deserve to be executed like that! She's not a killer, she's just as much a victim as Dreyse! I'm begging you, papa! Don't let her be killed for something she couldn't control! PLEASE PAPA! I'M BEGGING YOU, PLEASE!" He nods at this to tell her, "Maka, we need to give that letter to Lord Death. Come with me and we'll do so right now." She nods furiously, the four of them running back to the school with all due haste.

Death reads the letter twice before reading it aloud to all those present, since Tsubaki and Black Star ran into the group outside the school with Kid and his partners already with Death when they all walked in. Even Dreyse is there with Sid and Mira guarding him as Death begins to read, and there is much sorrow in his tone. "For those of you who know me as Miriam, that name is a lie. A farce that I will wear to bring some good to counteract the sins I have committed. My real name is Najika Hayashida, daughter of Kasumi and Shigeo Hayashida. My parents were killed by three witches, though I had thought them my aunts for much of my life. The three who shackled me to their will are known as the Morrigan Sisters. But their real names are Terra, Lillian, and Emma Hise. They were the most wicked women to walk this world, and I will gladly take claim for their end, for my parents and for all who they forced me to harm. They chained my body to their service, my magic to their will, and my mind and soul to the prison of their enslavement. I tried on multiple occasions to end myself and the harm I wielded under their direction, but they always won. They would have me kill others as punishment, so I was forced to comply to keep others safe. For years I had their power chained about my body, the physical pain just as bad as the emotional agony at the torture and prolonged death of our victims. Until on night on my supposed ninth birthday, they took me to kill a meister and weapon couple along with their son who was the same age as me. They said it was a very special day for the boy as well, that it was his birthday as well as mine. But since they were liars and took me from my parents when I was almost four, I will never know and don't care to know. They had me torture the mother first, her husband screaming in fury as her frame was laced over and over with red as my aunts cackled behind me. But the wife never once looked at anyone but me, her smile full of what I later learned to be forgiveness as I ripped her apart. I made sure her heart had stopped long before they had me rip her open completely, my aunts could not control me so intricately as they thought and I would be damned if I let them. Her husband finally went silent as her frame came completely apart, her head rolling to face him as the boy finally screamed in terror. The old crones cackled as I looked to the husband, his hate and fury evident as he cursed me. Then I was forced to kill him in same manner as his wife, the boy taking over the screaming as his father suffered and writhed under my onslaught. I made certain he died long before they had me supposedly finish, the death of his wife had been more than enough torture for his last night on earth. But that did not spare the boy as he became drenched in the combined blood of his family upon my finished display for the ones who directed me. He cowered in front of me as I took a few steps forward, his pajamas becoming soiled with his terror to be lost in the red around him. I knew then I had to make this stop, even if I had to rip my own body to pieces like I had just done to my recent victims. I wanted so desperately to tell him it was okay, that I would let him have vengence over us for his pain. But I instead chose to spare him such empty words, lacing the blood behind him to run it over his frame as if I was doing the same trick over again. I made certain he'd scream enough to convince them he was dying, nicking pain receptors to get the response needed instead of veins and arteries. Until I choked him into uncosciousness and only half feigned falling over out of exhaustion."

Death takes a breath as Dreyse goes wide eyed in shock. "She- she- she was the one who-" Maka glares at him to give a curt, "You really think she's a monster, don't you? Think for a second, if she'd so openly killed two people, why bother stopping for you?" Dreyse closes his eyes to kneel down on the floor as Death continues to read. "I asked my aunt Emma if I could keep the earrings the mother still had in her ears as a prize, and she had smiled to then take them from the head. She and aunt Lillian promised to wrap them for me as a birthday gift, but then aunt Terra had me up and walking out the front door with the chains of magic they had over me. They let the chain go the moment they put me in my cage in the kitchen, since that was where they always kept me when they wanted to gloat and celebrate their work. Brandy was passed around between them as they celebrated my 'birthday' while I feigned passing out. After an hour of their celebrating and getting drunk as skunks, I cast my blood magic to puncture each one of their main arteries leading away from the heart. They were too drunk to care, only Terra noted the sensation to glance at me as the other two continued the celebrating. Emma gave me the earrings in a blood red bag, patting my hand as she then walked up the stairs for Lillian and Terra to follow. I heard them all pass out onto the beds, knowing they would not wake with the dawn. Even though they had killed so many, I still felt sick that I was taking more lives. I swore on the only gift they ever gave me, I would find that boy and give him the justice he and all the others deserved. I opened the cage, since they hadn't locked it in their drunken debacle, and packed a backpack they had in the pantry with food and water. The only other items I took with me was the antique pendellum that belonged to my mother. I remembered it from what few visions of her I have in my mind, her sitting at the piano with the pendellum ticking to her music. She had told me that a pendellum is a heart for music and musician in turn and for it be off by even half a tick does no good to the symphony. That one's heart is a pendellum and our actions music to it's pace, and I only came to understand the meaning that night. The antique hadn't worked once whenever I had dared to touch it, but it was all I had of who I was born to be. I have no memory of my father, I never even saw a picture of him. All I have is a name, Shigeo Hayashida. I don't really know what a father is, but if I had to guess, they are a wonderful thing to have. I can't fathom why Maka keeps her own father at a distance, at least she has knowledge of him and has him with her still."

Maka flinches as she laces a hand in her fathers hand, his squeeze in her own a reassurance as Death finishes. "I don't deserve any form of pity or mercy, I don't want it after all I have done. But a piece of this aching pendellum inside me dares to feel otherwise. Perhaps that is the half a tick momma mentioned, this constant ache inside that laces through my blood with every beat. If I knew this to be true, I'd have told Stein to just fix it already, since I'm tired of the pain I have in every waking moment. But I don't deserve such, I'd rather he just rip the thing out to hand over to Dreyse in a jar or to keep on his shelf. The idea of the doctor having my heart has a bit of appeal to me, if only because it would mean more to him as a specimen than a trophy to Dreyse or less than nothing to others. But if this letter is being read, then Dreyse got his justice at last. Don't harm him or hate him for this, he has full right to tear me apart like I did to his parents. I just hope that if my body is ever found, I have the same look on my face as his mother Louise. For what little my apology is worth, I give it now freely. I will not ask for forgiveness, it is not warranted in my mind at the countless victims I've made. I am nothing, and hold no worth. Let my body be discarded along with the rubbish, and should there still be a soul left after my death, may Dreyse keep it to consume for when he achieves the title of Death Scythe. In this, I hope to give him a fitting present for his birthday, the final piece of his future. Please tell Spirit and Stein I'm truly sorry, I get the idea they became attached to me with feelings of sympathy. The thought of such from the doctor is laughable, but I get the notion from this half tick inside of me that it's true. If so, I have hence caused him harm and will never forgive myself! But this end is as it should be, let there be nothing left of me, burn this letter and go about your lives once all has been settled. Let my pendellum sit in silence and in pieces at the bottom of the trash where it has always belonged. I have no more to give, let me fade for the blood to dry and flake away to the air. Let it nurture only scorn and my memory erased. The farce I have danced to must end, let it do so now, so the orchestra might go still and forever silent." Death crushes the letter in one large hand, his entire frame shaking as the others hang their heads in silence. Black Star is the first to speak. "I'm never whaling on her ever again. I'll never even throw a bad word her way, not after all that. It's just distgusting how much she's already been through." Black Star sits down with a loud thump as Soul nods. "You aren't the only one, I'm all for her whaling on us with all she can bring!" Black Star grins and nods. "Oh hell yeah! We deserve it!"

Dreyse puts his head in his hands at this, his whispered words barely audible. "She finished them before- she killed all three of her aunts to- it was all for- SHIT!" He trembles as Sid puts a hand on him in sympathy. "That's right, you thickheaded fool. You think she deserves any more punishment from you after hearing that?" Dreyse flinches as he gets up out of Sid's reach. "Shut it! I didn't know, and even if I did it wouldn't have mattered! I was so furious at her earlier, I wouldn't have cared!" Maka looks at him as he continues, "I saw her with all those souls in the bag, and I demanded she give me one for later. But she told me no, that she wasn't going to give me a paltry hand out and walked around me to head for the Lab. I grabbed her and swung her around to fume at her, and she slapped me. Next thing I know, she's on the ground and my maces are out with the blood she was drenched in all over my front when she fell against me before toppling backwards. I saw her shiver and spit red out of her mouth, giving me the exact same look she had ten years prior. I was so scared, I bolted for the dorms to get myself cleaned up before anyone could spot me. But she never said a word about giving her own soul for the- the- SHIT! Is that what she meant by 'paltry hand out' or did I just imagine that?!" Death glares at Dreyse to exclaim, "I don't care, Dreyse! You'll help us fix this, all of it! Or I will have you suffer her fate in penance for her murder!" Dreyse and the others go wide eyed at this, but he nods in understanding. "Yeah, I can so do that. But the big question is how?" Spirit gives a huff to tell them, "If any of us go anywhere near the Lab, Stein will unleash all his fury on whoever knocks on the door." But it's Crona who comes up with the solution. "What if I went to give them the letter?" They all turn as Crona continues, "Miss Marie told me I'm always welcome to go over there. So what if I went and took the letter with me? It's in Miriam's handwriting, so they'll know it's real. I wanted to go over and see Miriam anyways, she's important to me, like an older sister. So can I go and give them the letter for you?" Death thinks a moment, then nods to hand the crumpled letter over. "Good idea, Crona. I'll gladly give you this assignment, you might want to bring that pendellum from her room also. Take Maka and Soul with you when you go, since you three were supposed to go see her anyways. But I'm thinking it should all wait until morning, it's quite late and we all need sleep. Miriam in particular should be allowed to get some rest. All right then everyone, head for bed already. Get scooting, shoo shoo shoo!"

Marie is passed out in the chair next to the hospital bed, her head cushioned on her arms as the book in her lap finally falls to the floor. The impact has her jolt awake. "Wha-" But then she shakes her head a few times as Stein gives a jerk at her calling out as he in turn calls out to her in turn, "Unn, Marie?" She gives a sigh to tell him, "I'm fine, Franken. My book fell off my lap while I was dozing. What time is it?" Stein rolls off the bed to look at the clock on the wall. "Huh, ten am by my guess." He then looks to the monitor as Marie turns to look at Miriam. "Well, her color is back. That's something." Stein nods at this, placing one hand on Marie's shoulder and the other at Miriam's wrist. "I'll say, her pulse is almost back to par. She isn't ice cold either. I'm thinking she's finally in the clear." Marie gives an audible sigh of relief. "Oh good! But I'm noting a distinct noise coming from all three of us." Stein looks at her as her stomach rumbles, his own soon to follow as they both start laughing. She gets up to push his chair under him. "Here, tend to your patient while I get us all food. Remember the video footage when you're done." He chuckles as she walks off, watching her head for the kitchen with a warm look. Then he wheels about tending to his patient, replacing the air tank and hooking a new IV and blood bag as he hums a random tune. He then undoes the snaps on the gown to open it, removing the stained bandages to clean Miriam's front with care. He takes a few moments to examine her, checking her vitals and listening to her lungs and heart with the stethescope, the pumping stronger and more evenly paced as her heartbeat kisses his fingers. His hand lingers for a moment over the apex of her heart, the swishing of blood through the chambers a relief to hear as he whispers to her, "You gave me quite a scare, Miriam. Don't you ever dare do that to me again." He's only half surprised when she answers him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out." His chuckle is full of amusement. "Yes you did, how are you feeling?" She gives a mild cough. "Is this multiple choice or essay?" Stein laughs so hard he nearly topples out of the chair, taking the stethescope out of his ears as he tells her, "How about on a scale, zero being no pain at all and ten being worst case?" She gives a huff as he bandages her front to then resnap the gown over her. "Works for me. I'd say six." He gives a sigh to say to her, "I'd have figured a twelve, Miriam. How bad is it, really?" She gives a flinch as tears well. "Fine, eight. But only where you cut me open, the rest is around a three." Stein runs a hand through his hair to say, "I have to wonder how used to pain you really are, but at the same time I don't really want to know." She closes her eyes to turn her head away. "When I actually cared to fight back, it was a constant eleven. The Morrigan Sisters had magic to turn on all my pain receptors at once if they focused. It's how they chained me, the shackles were over my nerves and gave off a constant ache ranging from mild pinching to full agony like being lit on fire." Stein flinches and growls out in vehemence, "Damn it all! I'm really hoping you did to them the same thing they had you do to all the others!"

Miriam gives a long sigh to tell him, "No. It was still murder, Doc. I wasn't going to become what they wanted, not even for their own execution. My youngest aunt had taught me anatomy to better my aim, so I made sure it was precise and painless. They were evil witches with screwed up morals, but even so they were still human. I've killed enough people, the day I start to enjoy it is the day they've really won in my book." Stein puts a hand in hers to squeeze it tight, but she shakes his hand out of hers as he blinks in surprise. "Miriam?" She tries to turn over onto her side to get away from him, but he holds her down as she shakes. "Hey, Miriam. What-" She cries at this, her words full of malice. "I told you to get Dreyse and have him end me! I killed his parents, I butchered them both! Along with so many others! I'd tell you to fill the syringe with air and do it yourself if Dreyse wasn't owed a debt of justice! So stop wasting his time and-" Stein slaps her in the face, her eyes blinking as he tells her, "That is quite enough, young lady. Don't you dare assume you know better than your doctor, Miriam. I am not giving you a mercy killing, nor am I handing you over to anyone to let you hang. The Morrigan Sisters are the ones to blame for those deaths. Not you, so stop right there and don't say a word more." She looks up at him in stunned silence, his arms lifting her into his embrace as he holds her to his chest. "I will not let you throw away what is left of yourself. I have spent ten years helping you become a person again. I will not let our hard work, your hard work, go to waste like that. The Morrigan Sisters never had a right to you or your soul, but I will make a claim on you and your life if that's what it takes to keep you going." Miriam starts shaking at this, her eyes leaking in streams as Stein tells her, "I love you. You are my family, Miriam. I won't let anyone hurt you or take you away. I will make certain you are safe and happy, and I'll keep my promise and 'fix' what those wretches broke. I promise you, Miriam. I swear to you on my very soul, I will do all I can to make everything right." Miriam trembles in his arms, the monitor chiming out how hard her heart is racing as Stein holds her close. Her eyes close as she wraps her one good hand without the IV into his coat. "But what about Dreyse?" Stein tells her. "You saved him, Miriam. By your own admission, the Morrigan Sisters would have had him killed. He should be grateful to you for-" She retches at this, her entire frame shoving Stein away from her as she gags with Stein shouting out, "Miriam!" Her body is wracked with dry heaves even though there is nothing in her stomach to exspell, and Stein grabs a trash receptacle to then hold her hair away from her face. Miriam chokes and vomits up stomach acid for few moments, shivering at the taste as she heaves in air. "Yuck... Tastes just like aunt Lillian's excuse for porridge. Again, yuck..."

Stein leans Miriam back into the bed as Marie comes running down the stairs. "Franken, is she-" Stein tells her, "I think I said something I shouldn't have. I'm sorry, Miriam." She gives a groan as Stein takes the trash bin to the sink and rinses it out. "Like you'd know any of what I've done to cause that kind of reaction. Don't kick yourself for too long, Doc. I'm quite sure much of the carnage of red I've splayed would have vampires retching like I just did." Marie walks up to take Miriam by the hand, Miriam looking to her to say, "Sorry, shouldn't discuss such things with a lady present. I'll shut up now." Marie gives a sigh at this, "Oh Miriam, how are we to help if you don't tell us what you need? You are the most traumatized of the victims, but we can't help until you let us." Miriam groans again to exclaim, "Oh not you too!" Marie gives her head a light slap. "Think rationally, Miriam. Out of all the ones those three harmed, you are the one that was in pain for the longest. While they rest of their victims suffered and then died, you were left alive to be continuously tortured. I'm not saying that their pain is any less than yours or Dreyse, but you have suffered the longest. Even after they were stopped, you have continued to punish yourself as they would have done so if they still had control of you." Miriam blinks at this, Marie taking her hand to squeeze it tight. "Even after ten years, those three have tortured your mind and soul with their evils and dominance of you. So we will not let them have hold over you a moment longer. You are their tool no longer, you are not theirs to use as they see fit for any reason. You are one of us now, you are our Miriam, you are our family and we will heal this harm they have done to you. Am I right Franken?" Stein comes to stand next to Marie at this, the both of them pulling Miriam forward into a group hug as Stein agrees with Marie. "Yes. You are ours, Miriam. And as such, no one else may lay claim to you. We will give all we have to protect you, even if it's from yourself." Miriam hesitates for a long while, her fears and sorrows weighing her down like always. But then she gives in to state, "I really don't have a choice in this, do I? You will keep risking yourselves to keep me from throwing myself off this cliff, regardless of what I think or feel on the matter. The last thing I want is to hurt anyone else, even if it's by hurting myself. Fine, you can keep me as your 'prisoner' of affection if that's what you really want." Marie frowns as she starts to say, "Miriam, that's not what we-" Miriam shakes her head and says, "It's all your getting, so be content with it. I don't have any more I'm willing to give in my 'broken' state, so deal with it. Until someone like Stein or you 'fix' me, it's all I have to offer right now." Marie frowns at this, But Stein nods in understanding. "All right then. If that is how you want us to play this. You've lived your life in one cage or another, but be aware this one has no door, Miriam. You may come out of it at any time, all right?"

Miriam nods to relax into their embrace at long last, her hands wrapping into their clothes as Stein presses her head to his heart. Marie rubs Miriam's back as she chokes on a sob, her misery evident as she wails, "I- I'm so sorry, Stein! I didn't want to hurt you, I swear! I never would have come to your door if I'd have known I'd cause you this much trouble!" But Stein pats her head to soothe her. "Oh come now, you're hardly a bother. So don't say such, you silly girl." Marie hears a knock on the front door, turning to the sound to say, "Now who could that be?" Stein flinches as he tells her, "It better not be Spirit, I'll rip him open if he's here to-" But Stein is cut off by a very timid shout. "Hello? Um Miss- Miss Marie? Are you here? I came to- to- to see how Miriam is? Hello?" Marie gives a smile at this, calling out to him, "Be right there, Crona!" Marie let's go of Miriam to answer the door, her smile evident as Stein relaxes. "It would figure. Crona seems to be very attached to you, of course he'd come to see you." Miriam nods at this to tell him, "I've tried to keep him at arms length, but he's quite persistence for being so timid. I'm guessing I should just give up and let him attach himself to me like you and Marie." Stein twists the bolt in his head as he laughs to say, "Nice analogy." Miriam huffs at this to state, "Well it's the truth!" Marie walks down the stairs hand in hand with Crona, Maka and Soul coming down behind them as Marie tells Miriam, "It would seem your friends are late for your appointment." Miriam sighs to flounce back into the bed at this. "Oh shoot! I forgot all about that! Crap, looks like the Doc will have to take over the lesson, since I'm grounded." Maka smiles and says, "Don't worry about it, how you doing?" Miriam grimaces. "Like I got punched, cut open, and electrocuted multiple times! Not to mention the rubbed raw sensation of coughing up that damn bag in my stomach! I have a tube in my chest and an added metal accessory in my front, overall I am rightly ticked off at all the blasted fuss!" Soul sneers at this to say, "Heh. Don't sugar coat it for us." Miriam looks at Maka who has a bag in her hands. "What the heck did you bring?" She smiles to hand it and a folded piece of paper to Stein. "Just a little pet project for him and Marie to look over, since I'm guessing it needs their expertise. It'll also keep the adults busy while we chill out with you." Stein gives her a questioning look as Marie leans in to whisper something in his ear, making him go stock still when she leans away from him.

Miriam can't see the expression in his eyes from the reflection on his glasses, but Stein whirls around to hurry Marie out of the room. "We should get you kids some food, since Miriam hasn't eaten anything. Maka, would you get her a toothbrush and toothpaste to use? We'll be right back once we've finished." Stein hustles up the stairs with Marie in tow, the teens giving them both curious glances as the door shuts behind them. Maka asks Miriam, "Why do you need a toothbrush right now?" Miriam grimaces as she laces her tongue around in her mouth. "I'd appreciate it if you got it for me, Maka. Blood and stomach acid is not a pleasant combination." Maka flinches. "Ew! Just ew!" Miriam gives a half smile. "Yeah, so please and thank you in advance." Maka walks off to the bathroom at this, Crona walking over to sit on the bed. "Miriam, are you really okay? The teachers said you nearly died, is that true?" She nods. "Yeah, it is." Crona starts to cry at this, crocodile tears leaking from his eyes as he sniffles, "Oh- oh Miriam! I- I-" Crona then surprises Miriam by throwing his arms around her, his thin frame shaking as he says, "That's horrible! Just horrible! I don't want you to die! Oh Miriam!" Miriam goes wide eyed to look at Soul as he pipes in, "Crona isn't the only one. Though I'm sure you'd rather punch Black Star and myself for being brainless oafs. But neither one of us wants you to kick the bucket. We just enjoy pitting our strength against you, since you're so tough and yet won't be impossible to fight like Stein. Next time we have a bout, you get to cream our clocks. That cool with you?" Miriam grumbles at this to tell him, "No! I want you to put up a damn fight, that way it gets my anger at this whole mess out of my system! Plus I'll be itching for a bout after being confined to this house and this damn bed! I'm sure Marie is going to get sick of lugging me to the bathroom day and night, which will only make me more ticked off at the fuss!" Miriam gives a rattled cough as Maka comes back, a toothbrush with toothpaste on the bristles and a full glass of water. "Here you go." Miriam nods and takes the items, scrubbing the toothpaste vehemently over the inside of her mouth as Maka grabs a plastic container, Crona still sitting on the bed to swing his feet as Maka tells them, "We'll have to throw you a picnic or something outside once you're better. It'll be a good excuse to get you outside at least." Miriam growls as she scrubs one last time, spitting the toothpaste into the container to then gargle and rinse her mouth out twice with the water. "I swear you people have screws that need tightening, I don't want the extra fuss when I should be hanged in front of the whole school!" Crona and Maka flinch as Soul glares at her. "You mean to say you haven't suffered enough?"

Miriam grumbles further, but goes dead quiet when Maka tells her, "We all know what's in the letter. Lord Death read it to us and a few others, including Dreyse. We know the whole story now, Miriam. And Lord Death does not hold you responsible for any of it, he has decided you have been punishing yourself enough." Miriam sits in stunned silence, Crona taking her hand as he tells her, "I know what that kind of pain is like, but it wasn't my fault in what my mom made me do. I did make mistakes afterwards, but I'm better now because I stopped blaming myself for what she brainwashed me into doing. Please Miriam, don't hate yourself for all that you have already suffered. Please?" Miriam gives a snort of a laugh. "Like I said, you've all got screws loose! Forgive me if you want, herald me as a hero for all I care, but I will never forgive myself for the three murders I committed! I chose to kill all three of those hags, I did it of my own free will and without prodding from anyone else! I took the law into my own hands and passed judgement that was not mine to give! I only hope that Dreyse still has enough hate in him to finish what's left of me, unlike the rest of you! Forgive me if you want, lock me up if you want, or hang me by the neck as I deserve! I am a killer and nothing can change this!" Miriam closes her eyes at this, her fatigue catching up with her as she mumbles, "Bunch of soft hearted fools. The lot of you, every last one. Maybe I should be glad you aren't willing to kill me for any reason, even if it's warranted. Whatever, I'm too tired to think anymore. Thank you for the help Maka, remind me to deck you for letting Lord Death read that letter to everyone." She nods at this to say, "Sure thing." Soul walks up to nudge her shoulder with a fist. "Right then. You'll have to do so before Black Star and I beat you, though." Miriam laughs as Crona lowers his head. "Um- Miriam?" She looks at him to ask, "Yeah?" Crona then gently hugs her tight, his head on her shoulder as he asks her, "Can I call you sister? Please?" Miriam goes wide eyed at this. "What? Yeah, if you want to call me that. I'm fine with-" Crona hugs her so tight he cuts off her air. "OH THANK YOU! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, SISTER!" She gives a yelp as her back gives an audible pop, followed by a hiss as her front follows suit. "OW! Okay Crona! Let up before the rest of me falls apart!" Crona nods and lets go. "Sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!" But Miriam gives him a warm smile to tell him, "It's okay, younger siblings are supposed to be trouble to the older siblings, right?" The laugh Crona gives is full of happiness. "Right! Don't worry though, I'll be the best younger brother ever!" They all laugh at this as Marie comes downstairs. "All right you three, you'll have to come back later. Miriam needs to eat something and rest." They each give her a hug before leaving, waving good bye as they head up the stairs.

Miriam gives a sigh as Marie brings a tray to the table on wheels. Marie brings it in front of her to then sit on the bed as Miriam asks, "Please don't tell me that's porridge? I hate that swill." Marie laughs at this to tell her, "No, it's lamb stew. With extra carrots." Miriam smiles and notes with amusement, "Of course, since veggies are a teens worst enemy." They both laugh as Marie helps her eat, noting her enthusiasm. "True, but from the way you tend to eat them, I'm guessing you like them." Miriam nods to tell Marie, "Yeah. I'll take vegetables over junk food any day." The stew is gone in moments, along with the slices of bread and the glass of milk. Miriam finishes the whole thing as Marie asks her, "What is your favorite food?" Miriam thinks a second. "Butternut squash or baked potato soup with lots of cheese. But stew is on my top five list." Marie grins at this to say, "So I was right. Franken told me it was chicken noodle soup." Miriam shakes her head. "Nope, that's number fifteen. He was way off on that one." The both of them laugh as Miriam gives a long yawn. Marie wheels the table away to ask her, "You need me to help you to the bathroom before you pass out?" Miriam nods. "Yes! Tell the Doc to fit me with a catheter or something whenever he's done with that pet project upstairs! I'll be damned if you have to keep dragging me around to tend to my bodily functions like this!" Marie laughs at this. "Oh don't be so proud. Isn't this what family does for each other?" Miriam shrugs to say casually, "How would I know? I never had a real family that had 'love' or 'affection' or even 'morals' for that matter. All I know about family is that it's a foreign concept, that it is a joy to have when you do and horrible to lose for any reason." Marie frowns as she helps Miriam to the bathroom. "You never had a family...?" Miriam nods. "Those three hags killed my parents when I was almost four, so I never got the chance. But I have no way to grieve for a thing I have never had to begin with, so it's a moot point in my book." Marie jerks at this, Miriam telling her, "It's fine, Marie. I get the feeling that's what you and Stein mean to teach me with your suffocating kindness. Though I'd rather take the hangman's noose, be a lot shorter torture. But you and he are my keepers, since I'm far to 'broken' to make decisions for myself. So don't get too upset. Okay?" Marie nods to leave Miriam into the bathroom with the door closed, taking the slightly red sheets off the bed to put clean ones on. She gets a few more blankets out of the closet when Miriam finishes, washing her hands at the sink directly to the side of the toilet to then knock on the door. Marie helps her back to the bed, throwing the blankets over her as she shivers. "I hate that fact I can't get warm." Marie frowns at this, then gets an idea. "I think this hospital bed has a heater in the mattress, you want me to try plugging it in?" Miriam nods vehemently, "Oh definitely, just put it at a low setting so I don't bake." Marie finds the plug to then set the heater on the second setting, the mattress warming in a short while as Miriam sighs. "Oh yay! Thank you, Marie." She smiles as Miriam drifts off shortly after, putting the breathing mask back on her for good measure. Marie then takes the tray with her upstairs, turning the light off and closing the door.


End file.
